If a patient has pertussis, family members should be treated.

If a patient has pertussis, family members should be treated.

• A. No treatment for family members
• B. Yes, with appropriate antibiotics or prophylaxis
• C. Only if symptoms develop in family members
• D. Only if hospitalized

Answer: (B)

Pertussis is highly contagious, so after exposure, people who were in close contact—especially family members—should receive antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent disease and limit spread. Giving a macrolide antibiotic to these contacts can stop them from developing illness or shorten the contagious period if they do become infected. This is recommended even if they aren’t showing symptoms yet, because transmission within households can occur before symptoms appear. It’s not limited to those who are hospitalized; prophylaxis is advised for all close contacts who have been exposed. The alternative of withholding treatment, waiting for symptoms, or restricting treatment to hospitalized individuals would miss the opportunity to curb transmission. In practice, a course of a macrolide such as azithromycin is commonly used for post-exposure prophylaxis, and household members who are not up to date on vaccination should consider updating their immunization too.

Pertussis is highly contagious, so after exposure, people who were in close contact—especially family members—should receive antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent disease and limit spread. Giving a macrolide antibiotic to these contacts can stop them from developing illness or shorten the contagious period if they do become infected. This is recommended even if they aren’t showing symptoms yet, because transmission within households can occur before symptoms appear. It’s not limited to those who are hospitalized; prophylaxis is advised for all close contacts who have been exposed. The alternative of withholding treatment, waiting for symptoms, or restricting treatment to hospitalized individuals would miss the opportunity to curb transmission. In practice, a course of a macrolide such as azithromycin is commonly used for post-exposure prophylaxis, and household members who are not up to date on vaccination should consider updating their immunization too.